"... All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes" (Job 14:14, NASB).
"... All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come" (Job 14:14, ESV).
The whole pagan world is united in this: celebrate (get drunk and party) the New Year. They make such a production out of it that it eclipses everything else--even Christians fall prey to temptations. But what is New Year's Day for the believer? God doesn't command us to celebrate it and Christians don't believe in partying and getting drunk. Most people think of it as a time of renewal and commitment. But Christians can repent anytime and start over with a new life--they don't have to wait till the new year to start over in life. Jesus is in the business of changing lives permanently!
Ever new beginnings are what the Chrisitan life is all about. God changes lives over and over and doesn't ever stop changing us till we are in Christ's image--chipping away anything that doesn't resemble Christ. Whenever the Christian confesses and repents God offers a clean slate--He forgets our past mistakes and sins and we don't have to either. It's just like Job proclaimed: I will wait till my renewal comes (cf. Job 14:14). We can come to terms with God at any time! In fact, this is the whole point of Christianity and unique to our faith--we don't have to make vows or resolutions but just confess our fault to God and trust Him. It's not a matter of trying but trusting! It would be disingenuous to confess to God not accepting a new beginning or intending to let God remold us and fulfill His promises. Every day is New Year's Day for believers! Don't wait till the end of the year to take spiritual inventory or make a checkup on your life--this is an ongoing project.
Remember that God is never finished with us and will not give up on us till glory when the work is perfected. With the believer, it may be said happy new life for God is in the business of changing lives--this is the point! If you want to live all year and wait to make the changes you want rather than what God wants you aren't living by the Book. We don't have to wait!
This all comes with the package and we signed up for it upon salvation--commitment towards ultimate perfection (what God wants not us--e.g., not dieting but making healthy choices!). Just like Christians ought always to be in the Christmas spirit, they also ought to have the right attitude towards new beginnings for the Christian. There are really no holidays for the believer; he isn't even obliged to observe the Sabbath! But we mustn't just our brother on what is holy to him and what his faith is. For example, Christmas isn't mandatory but believers over the centuries have given in to public pressure and God has worked it out to be a Christian tradition. And so, why wait? because we can celebrate New Year's Day all the time! In sum, it's always New Year's Eve for the believer--a time of contemplation and decision making and realizing that God does all the work. Soli Deo Gloria!
"... All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come" (Job 14:14, ESV).
The whole pagan world is united in this: celebrate (get drunk and party) the New Year. They make such a production out of it that it eclipses everything else--even Christians fall prey to temptations. But what is New Year's Day for the believer? God doesn't command us to celebrate it and Christians don't believe in partying and getting drunk. Most people think of it as a time of renewal and commitment. But Christians can repent anytime and start over with a new life--they don't have to wait till the new year to start over in life. Jesus is in the business of changing lives permanently!
Ever new beginnings are what the Chrisitan life is all about. God changes lives over and over and doesn't ever stop changing us till we are in Christ's image--chipping away anything that doesn't resemble Christ. Whenever the Christian confesses and repents God offers a clean slate--He forgets our past mistakes and sins and we don't have to either. It's just like Job proclaimed: I will wait till my renewal comes (cf. Job 14:14). We can come to terms with God at any time! In fact, this is the whole point of Christianity and unique to our faith--we don't have to make vows or resolutions but just confess our fault to God and trust Him. It's not a matter of trying but trusting! It would be disingenuous to confess to God not accepting a new beginning or intending to let God remold us and fulfill His promises. Every day is New Year's Day for believers! Don't wait till the end of the year to take spiritual inventory or make a checkup on your life--this is an ongoing project.
Remember that God is never finished with us and will not give up on us till glory when the work is perfected. With the believer, it may be said happy new life for God is in the business of changing lives--this is the point! If you want to live all year and wait to make the changes you want rather than what God wants you aren't living by the Book. We don't have to wait!
This all comes with the package and we signed up for it upon salvation--commitment towards ultimate perfection (what God wants not us--e.g., not dieting but making healthy choices!). Just like Christians ought always to be in the Christmas spirit, they also ought to have the right attitude towards new beginnings for the Christian. There are really no holidays for the believer; he isn't even obliged to observe the Sabbath! But we mustn't just our brother on what is holy to him and what his faith is. For example, Christmas isn't mandatory but believers over the centuries have given in to public pressure and God has worked it out to be a Christian tradition. And so, why wait? because we can celebrate New Year's Day all the time! In sum, it's always New Year's Eve for the believer--a time of contemplation and decision making and realizing that God does all the work. Soli Deo Gloria!
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